Illusion of Innocence
by Wolf in the Walls
Summary: Yugi's mother had come home from...wherever. Yami suspects that all is not right after he is kicked out of the house and sees cuts on his hikari's arms. Can he save Yugi from what has been buried in the confines of a diary for years? (abuse)
1. A Yami's Suspicions

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anthy: Time for some depressing stuff.  
  
Anshi: Yugi is my victim this time.  
  
Anthy: I own nothing.  
  
Anshi: My hikari will not make an appearance in this fic.  
  
Anthy: I know.  
  
BPP: there might be some ooc-ness.  
  
Anthy: Or some songfics!  
  
Anshi: Start chapters.  
  
@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Yami's Suspicions  
  
I will sing for crescent moon  
  
Dancing with the castanets  
  
As the end has come so soon  
  
In the land of twilight  
  
Yami reached under the dresser, feeling around for the pieces of gum he had stashed there. It wasn't safe to leave out in the open. But instead of finding gum, Yami's fingers grazed the binding of a book. He grabbed it and slowly pulled it out. It was a small, leather-bound book with the word "Diary" scrawled across the front cover. Yami flipped it open to a random page and started to read, though the date was a few years old.   
  
"Dear Diary, nothing much happened today. Mom was fine and in a good mood for once. Yugi"   
  
Yami shut the book and slid it under the dresser. He thought that had just been a complete waste of time. But that phrase "mom was in a good mood for once" seemed to press into his mind. Oh well. He'd ask Yugi later.   
  
Yugi was on the phone with the "Snake-girl" Nazura. She said somethings and said that she was going to stop by. Yami *hated* her. She was his only superior, the master of games, and beating him several times without even breaking a sweat was something to be bitchy about.   
  
"Ok Nazura, I'll see you two in a few." *click* Yugi bounced out front to the shop and waited for her. Yami was there already.   
  
"Hey Yami, Nazura is coming over." Yugi chirped, happy as could be.  
  
"Great. Yay. Couldn't be happier." Yami said sarcastically and put his head down on the glass display case. There went his good mood.   
  
*ding*  
  
"I'm here!" Nazura said, stepping in wearing a cobra tank top and jeans. Her blue-tipped white hair was tied back in a ponytail and she held a container under her arm. Yami sat up in a moment's notice, red eyes glaring daggers at her.   
  
Nazura set the container on the display case and opened the lid. She stuck her hand in and a cobra slithered up her arm and off onto the display case. Yami cringed.   
  
"It's ok Yami. He won't bite/spit poison at you." Nazura said as Yugi began playing around with the snake.   
  
Yugi laughed as the snake slithered up one arm, behind his neck and down his other arm. Yami backed up, gathering a "slight' fear of snakes. Nazura laughed and put her hand on Yami's shoulder. She took his other hand and moved it towards her cobra. Yugi gave her some help.   
  
"At least touch it Yami."  
  
After ten minutes, they got Yami to trace his hand along the back of the snake. Yugi soon had it crawling up his arm again. Nazura laughed to herself and ruffled Yami's hair. He glared at her, but she just smiled.   
  
"No." Yami said. The two looked over at Yugi, amusing himself watching the cobra slither from one hand to another.   
  
"Yugi put that disgusting thing down before it bites you!!"   
  
The four looked at the doorway of the game shop to see a woman, maybe in her late thirties, in the doorway. She had long red hair and violet eyes. She wore a yellow sweater and jeans and carried several bags in her arms.   
  
"Um...Hi mom." Yugi said.   
  
"I said put it down."   
  
The cobra slithered off of Yugi and spread its hood, hissing at Mrs. Muto as if to say "Don't call me disgusting you hag". Nazura glared as well. She seemed to take the insult personally. Yami saw one of the snake tattoos on her arms begin to turn liquid. He grabbed her wrist and shook his head. Nazura sighed and looked back at Yugi's mom.   
  
"Mom, this is Nazura, the snake girl."   
  
"Nice to meet you. I'll see you later Yugi." Nazura gathered her snake and container and left the shop.   
  
Mrs. Muto set her bags down and walked over to Yugi and hugged him. Yami looked away and leaned on the display case. He had heard nothing about Yugi's mother, and could barely remember his own.   
  
"Oh, Mom, this is Yami, he's...how to put this...he's me, but also not me..." Yugi said, trying to explain it. Mrs. Muto didn't really seem to care.   
  
"Anyways...I'm glad you're back home." Yugi said.   
  
$$$  
  
"Nazura...pick up the phone..." Yami hissed.  
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Nazura, it's me. I need help."  
  
"You need to stay the night?"  
  
"I might need to stay for quite a while."  
  
"Yugi's mum doesn't care to know who you really are?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Bring your stuff. I'll send one of the Nazure to lead you. No one but you will see him. He'll take you to my house."   
  
"Thanks."  
  
Yami hung up the phone and began packing. He took his black sketchbook (hidden joke [in 'I don't understand']), some clothes, his deck, his toothbrush and hairbrush, random little stuff and the diary under the dresser. He hugged Yugi and left the game shop. As the snake-girl said, one of the Nazure was waiting for him.   
  
Nazura opened the door and welcomed Yami inside.   
  
"I warned them that you were coming. They'll try not to get in your way." Nazura said.   
  
"Arigato." Yami said.   
  
"You're privileged to have my room if you so choose. I'll keep the snakes out here with me on the couch."   
  
"Airgato."   
  
"It's late, let's go to bed."  
  
"Hai."   
  
"Ja'ne."  
  
"Ja'ne."  
  
@@@@  
  
Snake: Hisssssssss. Hiss hissssssssss. 


	2. A Snake's Eye

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anshi: Hold me...  
  
Nazura: Whatever lies beyond this morning...  
  
Anshi: Is a little later on...  
  
Nazura: Regardless of warnings...  
  
Anshi: The future doesn't scare me at all...  
  
Nazura: Nothing's like before...  
  
Anshi: I got *burned* for that fic.  
  
Nazura: Yeah, some yaoi hater torched her.   
  
Anthy: If you have problems with yaoi, you don't *have* to read what I post that says *yaoi* on it.   
  
Nazura: Bakas.   
  
Anshi: Start.   
  
@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Snake's Eye  
  
Do you remember me  
  
Lost for so long  
  
Will you be on the other side  
  
Or will you forget me  
  
Yami and Nazura were seen walking to school together the next morning, thus spawning a blizzard of rumors about them going out. The two were talking though. Nazura said something about how she didn't really like Yugi's mother.  
  
"I don't know...something about her just pushes all the wrong buttons." She said as they entered the school yard.   
  
"I know. I swiped Yugi's diary and began reading it. It's...disturbing."  
  
"Don't read anymore. We'll read it together at home. Don't think like that."   
  
"I wasn't. Tonight. Gotcha."  
  
The two walked into class and took their seats on either side of Yugi's desk. The two noticed how depressed he looked. Nazura was faster.  
  
"Hey, is everything all right Yugi?" She asked, putting her hand on his shoulder. He cringed. Nazura drew her hand back in an instant and asked what was wrong.  
  
"Nothing. I just pulled a muscle yesterday." Yugi said.   
  
Nazura glanced over at Yami, who took the time to note that she wore a boy's uniform. He never took the time to notice. But that was beside the point.   
  
"Oh. No gym class for you today. Here...I'll let you in on a little secret." Nazura put her hand down on the desk and a little snakehead poked out. Yugi giggled a little bit as a garter snake slithered out of Nazura's sleeve and onto the desk.  
  
"If your mum doesn't like to see you with them, I'll bring one to school everyday so you can play with them."   
  
Yugi's face lit up at the suggestion and he nodded. Nazura smiled. She met later with Yami.  
  
"All is not right with that child." She said, watching him play with her serpent.   
  
"Wanna stop by the game shop later?"  
  
"I need to. My second deck needs work."  
  
"Your second one?"  
  
"The first one was the Nazure, the second one is Waru-Bad Blood."   
  
"Oh."   
  
The two walked over to the game shop after they had gotten changed. Nazura had an emerald tree boa curled around her neck like a necklace. Yami still hated snakes. He had found one dozing in his bed when he came home. He wondered where all the snakeskin went when they shed.   
  
"Hello Yugi!" Yami said cheerfully as they walked into the shop. Yugi was sitting at the counter smiling. The two walked up and Nazura bought two Duel Monsters booster packs.   
  
"How is everything, now that your mum is home?" Nazura asked.   
  
"It's okay. I still miss Yami being here all the time but Mom really doesn't understand that he is me."  
  
"My mum was scared to death of snakes, that might be why them and me get along so well."   
  
"Yami, how is it over at Nazura's apartment?"  
  
"Um...okayish. I don't like waking up and finding that her ball python has curled up on my chest."  
  
"But Izzima likes that. He sleeps on my stomach most of the time."   
  
Yugi laughed.   
  
"Nice necklace." Yugi joked, as the boa seemed to yawn. Nazura laughed as well.  
  
"Awww. Poor Verdy is tired." She said.   
  
" 'Verdy'?" Yami asked.   
  
"Yeah. That's its name." Yugi said. Yami gave him the strangest look before they both heard the sound of someone coming downstairs.   
  
"Yugi! Do you have friends over?" Nazura's eyes seemed to darken at the sound of Mrs. Muto's voice. She walked out into the front of the shop and her happy face seemed to turn into dissatisfaction.   
  
"Oh...hello again." She said. Yami was polite and answered. Nazura and Verdy just nodded in her direction.   
  
"Mom, you remember Yami and Nazura, right?" Yugi asked.   
  
"Yes. So, Nazura, I hear you're into snakes and such of the like."   
  
"Yes." Nazura was clearly holding back. But only Yami noticed.   
  
"What do your parents think about them?" Yugi saw the snake-girl tense slightly before answering.   
  
"I don't remember my parents. They left me in a ditch to die. My foster parents abandoned me as well. Everyone I ever got close to has left. Everyone but my snakes." Nazura's voice as cold and as heartless as an ice storm. She turned to Yugi and said her good-bye.   
  
Mrs. Muto jumped at Yami next.   
  
"So, you're Yami. Doesn't your name mean 'darkness' in Japanese?"   
  
"Yes."  
  
"And what about your parents?"   
  
Yami waited a moment to answer. His parents...his life in general.   
  
No...  
  
Not yet...  
  
"My parents are gone as well. My dad used to beat me, and my mother died a year ago. They're both gone, so Nazura and I are living together to get by."   
  
Yami didn't stick around to say good-bye to Yugi. He just left as soon as he could. Nazura and her dear Verdy found him crying on a bench in the park.   
  
"I didn't...want to...remember again..." Yami sobbed. Nazura sat next to him and put her arms around him.   
  
"Don't think about the past, only the future. Don't look behind you, look ahead." She whispered as Yami tried to surpress his crying.   
  
"Come on Yami, let's go home."   
  
"Hey Nazura..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"For the record, I still hate you."   
  
@@  
  
Anthy: They are NOT like that.  
  
Anshi: I know.   
  
Anthy: The readers don't. 


	3. A Diary's Writings

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anthy: Yay...the diary chapter.  
  
Anshi: Maybe.  
  
Anthy: And the question everyone wants me to answer...  
  
Nazura: Are we going to get *comfy*?  
  
Anshi: I hope to Ra no.  
  
Nazura: *nod*  
  
@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Diary's Writings  
  
Keep believing  
  
Dreams are for living  
  
Wonders are waiting to start  
  
Live your story  
  
Of faith, hope and glory  
  
Hold to the truth in your heart  
  
Yami sat on the couch and began reading the diary. Nazura had left to get some groceries and left him alone with her serpent army. He didn't mind too much, the only one hanging around him was Verdy, and he was sleeping on the other end of the couch.   
  
The writing became more disturbing and some were almost impossible to read. Yami finished the entire diary just as Nazura came back. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. The snake girl just looked at him as he tossed the book onto the coffee table and walked into the bedroom.   
  
Nazura looked at him strangely before feeding all thirty snakes (including her four cobras and the two Nazure) and sitting down to read the book. Kalnaz and Kainaz hovered around the table, sensing an unusual depression and warui (evil) emanating from the book.   
  
"December tenth, Dear Diary, I'm Yugi Muto. I'm a duelist and a sophomore at Domino High, even though I'm the height of an 8-year-old child. And my best friend in the whole wide world is a reincarnated 5000-year-old pharaoh named Yami. Well...that's all for now...Bye!"   
  
Nazura laughed and skipped ahead a few pages. On the page she landed on, before she started, something poked her. Wedged in one of the four clawed hands of Kainaz, was a glass of milk. The snake-girl laughed and took the glass, thanking the smarter of her serpent guardians and returning to her reading.   
  
Her eye did catch the splotches of blood in the corner of the page.   
  
"January third. Dear Diary, It's only me. Sorry about the blood. Mom got mad at me because I accidentally broke one of the plates while I was doing the dishes. She normally doesn't go off like that. I guess her date last night didn't go too well. I'm gonna go and put another bandage on my arm. Bye."  
  
Nazura paused again, taking a deep breath and jumping ahead a few more pages. She drank the entire glass of milk and returned to her reading.  
  
"January fifteenth. Dear Diary, I don't know what I should do. Mom put me in intensive care two weeks ago when she flew into a fit of rage. I didn't do anything. When her love life is good, then she is good. I guess it's been really bad lately. I didn't tell Yami about it. He was gone those few weeks, off at some concert tour or something. I don't know. He seems to be better at avoiding my mom that anyone. Or he is just lucky..."  
  
Nazura's voice trailed off. She felt a knot form in her throat. Kainaz nudged her and seemed to emit a soft crooning or purring sound, countered by Kalnaz and his deep purring noises. Nazura regained her voice and continued reading.   
  
"...But no matter. I have a broken leg, a broken arm, a few cracked ribs and cuts all over my good arm and I've felt dizzy and lightheaded over the past few days. If this happens again, the police are going to take her...if I tell them anyways. Bye."   
  
Again, the snake-girl jumped ahead a few pages. This page wasn't written in Yugi's handwriting, and it was splattered with blood.   
  
"February fourth. Dear Yugi's Diary, I tried so hard to raise him. But I lost control. He's lying on the floor, over there. I...I don't know if he is alive or not. I can't let this continue. The police are here. I have to go."   
  
Nazura dropped the diary on the floor and drew her legs up to her chest and cried. Kainaz stopped his purring and slithered over to the room Yami had shut himself in and tapped on the door with two hands.   
  
(Note, the Nazure are the snake-girl's guardians. They look like large cobras [Kainaz is roughly six feet tall and Kalnaz is eight and a half] with four, seemingly thin, arm with technically two 'fingers' and a thumb, kind of like a bird's talons, for hands. Kainaz is the smarter one while Kalnaz is the stronger one.)   
  
Yami stepped out of the room to see Nazura crying. He put one arm around her to comfort her but she pushed him away. She wiped her tears away and stood up.   
  
"I'm going to the game shop. I'm returning the diary." She said.   
  
One of her cobras slithered onto Yami's shoulder, and he tensed. Nazura looked at it and shook her head.  
  
"I'm going alone."   
  
"Be careful."  
  
She snapped.  
  
"Don't give me any of that crap Yami. You're to stay here until I return. I don't need to be careful. I don't need you either!"   
  
And she left, slamming the door behind her.   
  
Yami sank to his knees, cobra falling to the carpet and looking at him. His hands were curled over his heart and tears began to form in his eyes. And in a faint whisper...  
  
"Oh my darling, I loved you..."   
  
@@@  
  
Anshi: Mew.  
  
BPP: This will get better.   
  
Anthy: Now they know. 


	4. A Game's Lies

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anthy: Well...now the readers know.  
  
Anshi: Yep.  
  
Nazura: What was with Yami at the end of that chapter?  
  
Anthy: Nothing...I think...  
  
Anshi: *singing* Oh my darling I love you  
  
Echo: I love you  
  
Anshi: And the kid who just stands tonight  
  
Echo: Tonight  
  
Anthy: Sorcerer Hunters! Ending theme song.   
  
Nazura: But what was with Yami?  
  
Anshi: Shy no Venus, surrender to your heart  
  
Nazura: I won't ask.  
  
@@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Game's Lies  
  
Lead me to the light  
  
And take me to the edge of heaven  
  
I am standing in the night  
  
And looking for the edge of heaven  
  
We'll be touching the edge of heaven  
  
Nazura looked at the leather bound book in her hands as she walked to the game shop. Maybe she wasn't right. Maybe Mrs. Muto changed. Maybe she was overreacting.  
  
Maybe she was wrong.   
  
The snake-girl shook the thoughts from her head and rang the Kame Game Shop's doorbell. She strained her hearing to hear eager little feet rushing downstairs and then Yugi's face appearing to unlock the doors.   
  
"Hello Nazura!" He chirped, happy as always. He invited her in and the two sat in the main part of the shop and they began to talk.  
  
"I came to return this." Nazura placed the diary on the table and Yugi's eyes seemed to widen in fear.   
  
"Where--?"  
  
"Yami found it and we read it."   
  
Yugi bowed his head. Nazura brushed some of her blue-tipped white hair out of her face and ruffled Yugi's hair.  
  
"I know all about your mum. Nothing is gonna get out, I'll keep everything quiet."  
  
"But she's changed! She's gotten help and goes to therapy now." Yugi said.  
  
Nazura nodded.   
  
"What color cast did you have?"  
  
"Blue."  
  
"Here..." Nazura pulled out a sheet of paper and scribbled her name on it. Under it she wrote the word "Bliu" instead of "Blue" and she handed it to Yugi.   
  
"Sorry to intrude on your private life but now you don't have to hide everything. And Yami says hi. I gotta go see if he started dinner yet."  
  
Yugi laughed at that, then he said that Yami could only make reheated macaroni & cheese. They both laughed.   
  
"Okay, so he's cooking impaired. I'll work on that."   
  
"Goodnight then..."  
  
" 'night."   
  
With that Nazura left. Yugi watched her go, then cursed to himself. His lies worked, that was the problem.   
  
He sat alone in his room with all the lights off and whispered to the darkness.  
  
"Shy no Venus...surrender to your heart..."  
  
@@@  
  
Anthy: Again with the SH theme songs!  
  
Anshi: Yep. 


	5. A Serpent's Assassination

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anthy: Wow...and what a chapter this will be."   
  
Anshi: I know. Nazura gets to get pissy.  
  
Anthy: Or get in trouble.  
  
Anshi: What is she gonna do?  
  
Anthy: I don't know yet...  
  
Nazura: We're making this up as we go along.   
  
Anshi: Oh. *goes off to listen to Bon Jovi*  
  
Nazura: Sometimes I wonder about that girl.  
  
@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Serpent's Assassination   
  
And we move  
  
Round and round in circles  
  
Round and round again  
  
'Cause our mission is the future  
  
And the future never ends  
  
Nazura did not go home though. She hovered outside the game shop, under Mrs. Muto's bedroom window. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her four cobras at home, most likely scaring the hell out of Yami. The serpent-girl had a plan, an evil, psycho plan.  
  
Yami looked away from the reheated macaroni & cheese and at what had slithered over his foot. He saw all four cobras slink over to the door and out a hole in the bottom. He opened the apartment door to see them speeding down the hallway and down the stairs. He went against his better judgment and didn't bother following them. When he returned to the apartment, he looked around, noticing something was different.   
  
There were no snakes. And the Nazure had vanished too.   
  
"This might not be a good sign." He said, opening the door and stepping out onto a balcony. He saw the game shop from where he stood.   
  
Nazura kissed each one of her precious cobras once they came. She loved them dearly, and they loved them back. She told them that one of the windows was always open, and guess who's window that was. Yugi's.   
  
She summoned Kalnaz, the taller and stronger of the Nazure and stood on his head, feeding her cobras into the open window. The four had their group instructions, and now...Nazura headed for home.   
  
She walked through the door and sought out Yami.   
  
"Yami, go somewhere else, now." Nazura stressed with insane urgency. Yami was about to ask questions but Nazura shoved him out. She told him to leave, head for someone else's house for the time being.   
  
Yami headed over to Ryou & Bakura's.   
  
"...She shoved me out as soon as she could. As far as I know, she is watching the shop." Yami said, stirring his tea.   
  
"Baka!" Bakura shouted, jumping to his feet.   
  
"What?" Ryou and Yami asked in unison.  
  
"She is not only the master of games, but she is also a serpent queen. She has complete dominion over all snakes and what-not. The cobras leaving should have been the first sign that something was going to go wrong."   
  
Silence fell over them as they heard sirens race by. Bakura and Yami looked at each other and fear began to mask their faces. Ryou looked from one to the other.   
  
"Game shop?" Yami asked.  
  
"Let's go. Ryou, stay here."   
  
The two ran out as soon as they could. They found the place taped off and they pushed their way through the crowd towards Mrs. Muto's hysteric shrieking. Yugi spotted them as they emerged in the front of the crowds. He dashed over and hugged Yami tightly.   
  
"What happened here?" Bakura asked urgently.   
  
"Mom found four cobras in her room. She went into hysterics and called the police. She told them that there were cobras in her room and they came. I don't think they're dead, just stunned. They were put in a glass case, like an aquarium and then you showed up."   
  
Yugi paused...only for a moment.   
  
"Did Nazura do this...?" He asked.   
  
Before anyone could answer, Mrs. Muto's shrieking became coherent sentences.  
  
"IT WAS THAT SNAKE-GIRL!! SHE SENT THOSE HIDEOUS THINGS AFTER ME!!"   
  
Her voice dropped to a whisper and a group of police cars soon sped off in the direction of the serpent-queen's home. Bakura looked at Yami and the two said they would return. They tore off after the cars, as fast as their magic would let them.  
  
@@  
  
Nazura waited for them to come, and she tried to fight without exposing her only family. But her speed did not make up for power, and thus she was handcuffed and dragged away to a mental institute. The police searched all over her apartment and found no trace of her snakes. They found pictures and snakeskin, but nothing real. They left shortly before Yami and Bakura arrived.   
  
The two cautiously stepped into the apartment.   
  
"Light come forth." Bakura whispered as an orb of light appeared in his hands. He split it off into several different orbs, all eventually reaching the size of the original, and sent them floating all over the wrecked home.   
  
"Teach me how to do that."  
  
"Later. Look over here."   
  
Yami walked out of Nazura's bedroom with an armful of cobra eggs. He set them down gently on the couch as Bakura found several of the actual snakes, including Verdy. They all crowded around the eggs, as if they were guarding them. Yami and Bakura continued to find countless serpents, all who gathered around the eggs.   
  
"Will you all be okay on your own?" Yami asked them.   
  
"They'll be fine, let's get back to Yugi."  
  
"Right."  
  
And Yami was unaware of the snake that was hiding in the pocket of his jacket.   
  
@@  
  
The crowd had died down by the time the two (three) had gotten back, and Yugi was waiting for them. But once they even got to the tape, Mrs. Muto jumped at the, eyes blazing with hatred and fury.   
  
"YOU!!!!" She shrieked. Yami jumped as an accusing index finger nearly made contact with his nose.   
  
"You did it didn't you!? You live with that serpent witch, don't you?! I always see you two together! It makes me sick to think that my little boy is even FRIENDS with someone like YOU!!!"   
  
Yami felt himself getting dragged backwards as more and more accusations flew from the raving woman.   
  
"DAMN YOU AND YOUR MOTHER, The GODLESS TRAMP WHO RAISED YOU!!"   
  
Rage exploded inside Yami, and Bakura barely had time to grab him and hold him back. If Yami had any soft spot, it was his mother, and even though it had been 5000 years since he and her were separated by death, he still loved her dearly. Bakura dragged Yami away...  
  
And they couldn't help but think back, to the lives they once led.  
  
@@@  
  
Anthy: Woah...  
  
Anshi: Review! 


	6. A Nazure Crusade

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anshi: Wow...  
  
Anthy: This gets better.  
  
BPP: Yami...  
  
Anshi: What is it?  
  
BPP: He seriously needs a helping hand.  
  
Anthy: I know.  
  
Kainaz: *grrrrrrrrrr*  
  
Anthy: I agree.  
  
@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Nazure Crusade  
  
If you are lost in your way  
  
Deep in an awesome story  
  
Don't be in doubt and stray  
  
Cling to your lonesome folly  
  
Yami waited three or four days until going back to the game shop. Grandpa was waiting at the counter when he walked in. Yami was aware of Verdy, who had slipped into his pocket and had the snake resting on his shoulder.   
  
"Oh, hello Yami."  
  
"Hello." Yami said, before asking where Yugi was.   
  
"Oh...Yugi and his mother moved to Tokyo. Yugi didn't want me to tell you this. I'm sorry."   
  
Yami and Verdy left, both of them feeling crushed. But Yami didn't go home. He walked to Nazura's apartment and was greeted by Kainaz.   
  
"Yugi is in Tokyo. That's where I'm going."   
  
Yami and Verdy turned to leave, but both Kai and Kal began to follow him.   
  
"Are...are you coming to help?"  
  
Yami found himself on Kalnaz's shoulders and the four were on their way to Tokyo. He thought about Yugi, and what was going to happen. Mrs. Muto would probably ignite his temper again and sparks would fly.   
  
"What will happen to Nazura?"  
  
@@  
  
The girl-so-named opened her eyes for the first time in days. She groaned and tried to sit up, only to find out that she was tied to a bed. There was a bandage over her eye, and the other one was still blurry. She turned her head to see the open window and white walls. Again, she groaned.   
  
"Good, she's awake." A voice said.  
  
Nazura turned her head the other way to see a man in a navy blue suit and black glasses, like a body guard or something. Her eye narrowed.   
  
"State your name." He ordered.   
  
"Nazura."  
  
"Your full name."  
  
"That is my full name. It is my only name that you know."   
  
She could feel the man glaring down at her through the glasses and she felt a hellish intelligence creeping into her mind.   
  
"How long have you had your snakes?"   
  
"Since I was born."   
  
Another silence entered the room. Nazura's emotion burned. This was going to be fun.   
  
"And what was your intentions on the night of Friday the thirteenth?"  
  
Nazura laughed...a psycho hell-borne laughter that rivaled Ishtaru and Bakura. The man stepped back a bit. Nazura looked at him with her one eye, unaware that it was glowing green.   
  
"To kill the threat to my friends."   
  
Once she said that, the leather buckles tying her down changed slowly into diamond-back rattlesnakes, freeing her and going after the man. Nazura sat up and pulled the bandaged over her eye off. Her white robe changed as well, shifting into an ancient Egyptian gown, adorned with cobra pendants and gold cuffs. Her cobra headband glared its ruby eyes at the world it had not seen for years.   
  
"I am The Master of Games..."   
  
The wall of her room blew open, and a chilling wind blew in. Nazura laughed again.   
  
"The Serpent Queen Nazura."   
  
Nazura stepped outside, walking on nothing but the air. Her rage was driving her to Tokyo. The Serpent-Queen inside her was seething with pure hatred.   
  
"Yugi...wait for me..."  
  
@@@@  
  
Yugi looked out the window of the apartment and sighed. He missed Yami, and Nazura, all too much. He glanced at the bandages on his arms and tears formed in his eyes.   
  
"I feel bad...whenever mother would hurt me...Yami was always gone and I had always made up an excuse for him. And he would believe me. He was gone when she was arrested, and he never asked. Nazura was only trying help, and her snakes weren't here to kill anyone..." Yugi's voice trailed off as he began to cry. He fell to his knees and sobbed.   
  
Something heavy his head. He cried out and toppled over, blood trickling from the new injury. Mrs. Muto said something that Yugi didn't hear and kicked him, sending his body careening into a chair, which was soon his refuge. His mother passed out on the couch.   
  
The eye on the Sennen Puzzle began to glow. Yugi weakly reached over and ran his finger over it, tears and blood mixing together.   
  
"Yami...hurry..."  
  
@@@  
  
Anthy: MWAHAHAHAHAAAAA!  
  
Nazura: Woah...I snapped.   
  
Anthy: All in favor of Nazura and Yami having a moment, tell me! 


	7. A Mother's Cry

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anshi: The snake girl snapped.  
  
Anthy: Well...Yami is on her direct route.  
  
BPP: There's gonna be a moment.  
  
Anshi: Maybe.  
  
Anthy: It would be sweet.   
  
BPP: Why not?  
  
Anshi: Because it might be creepy.  
  
BPP: Yeah...  
  
@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
A Mother's Cry  
  
How come I must know  
  
Where obsession needs to go?  
  
How come I must know  
  
The direction of reliving?  
  
Yami felt two different emotions at once. One a driving hate, definitely of someone he didn't know. He didn't recognize it. But the other was a intense sorrow and anguish. That was Yugi. This made Yami panic. He held his head, feeling Yugi's pain. Damn that woman. Damn her to hell.   
  
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and it wasn't the Nazure. Yami looked around. The Nazure wasn't there. They were gone. Yami looked at the hand. His eyes began to tear up and a knot formed in his throat.   
  
"Mother...?"  
  
The shadowy figure of his mother stood behind him. Her kind black eyes looked at him and she pointed at the sky. Yami looked and his jaw dropped.   
  
There was Nazura, clothed in her Serpent Queen outfit, walking on the air with the Nazure waiting for her as she made her descent.   
  
Yami turned, the spirit form of his mother vanishing into the wind. Nazura set foot onto the earth and a horde of snakes gathered at her feet.   
  
"Yugi...wait for me..." She hissed and began walking towards Tokyo. Yami could feel her rage, and ran in front of her.   
  
"Nazura...Listen to me...what is going on?!" Yami cried. The Serpent Queen stopped.  
  
"Out of my way Pharaoh...this is not your battle."   
  
"What happened to you?" Yami asked, not moving.   
  
"Nothing of your concern. Move."   
  
Yami didn't budge. Yugi's pain still stabbed at him, and the knot was growing in his throat. Nazura's rage poured from her, and Yami didn't know what to do.   
  
It came like a storm, and Yami felt the sting soon after. Nazura held a gold whip in her hands, with a snake's head as a weight on the end. She glared down at him, with a look in her eyes that he had only seen when he first met her. And he knew she could kill him in an instant.   
  
Nazura began to walk away...  
  
"Nazura..."  
  
She stopped, and turned to Yami.  
  
But Yami wasn't the one she looked at. Standing defiantly behind him was the shadowy vision of Sheta, Yami's mother. The Serpent Queen inside of Nazura twitched. There, here, the person she had missed and respected for so long was here once again.   
  
Quell your rage, your fury, your hatred. This is not your place.  
  
Nazura fell to her knees as the intense anger inside her fleeing like birds. Yami watched as the snake-girl he once knew returned...slowly.   
  
All will be all right, my son, she is not your enemy.   
  
And she was gone once more. Nazura saw the tears form in Yami's eyes as he sat, immobilized and tharn (tharn means heartbroken or immobilized with fear). Nazura walked over and wrapped her arms around him.   
  
"Yami no Yugi...your task is not finished yet. Come on...I know where Yugi is."   
  
@@@  
  
"I tried to raise you the best I could..."  
  
Yugi's eyes rolled up, so he was now looking at his mother's face. There was blood pouring down the side of his face, and his arm was broken. He felt...so...weak...  
  
"If I hadn't had you..."  
  
Hands tightened their grip around his neck.  
  
"My life probably might have been different!!!"  
  
@@@  
  
There are different kinds of wars...  
  
People bleed even when they fight with themselves...  
  
Even when...  
  
Even when they smile... 


	8. Salvation

Illusion of Innocence  
  
Anthy: This is getting good.  
  
Anshi: No spoilers from me!  
  
BPP: The finish line is in sight.  
  
Anthy: I love my DVDs!   
  
Anshi: Hey...maybe I should do a fic where the reviewers can write the next chapters...  
  
BPP: Tell her in a review if you want to do that.  
  
Anshi: I might just take the first chapter of a fic and let the readers send me the next chapters...  
  
Anthy: Give her feedback!  
  
@@@  
  
Illusion of Innocence  
  
Salvation   
  
You're giving me too many things  
  
Lately you're all I need  
  
You smiled at me and said,  
  
Don't get me wrong I love you  
  
But does that mean I have to meet your father?  
  
When we are older you'll understand  
  
What I meant when I said "No,  
  
I don't think life is quite that simple"  
  
Nazura and Yami ran as if they had wings on their feet. They had to find Yugi. The stabbing pain in Yami's heart had escalated in the past few minutes. Twice he tripped and nearly cracked his head open because it was so great.   
  
This world is...  
  
"Yami! Come on!" Nazura shouted. Her voice was panicked and urgent. She could sense something bad.  
  
...so fragile...  
  
Yami's heart was being stabbed and torn. He needed Yugi. He needed Yugi just to be there. He needed to be there for Yugi as well. Like he had been...when Yami had his memories return...and his horrible tainted past descend upon him like a hawk.   
  
Even if we do nothing...  
  
Nazura needed Yugi there as well. The two were closer than any sibling relationship in the world. It wasn't passion love, it was pure love. Plain and simple. Simple and clean. She needed Yugi's smile and his laughter.   
  
...it could shatter all by itself...  
  
The two turned the corner and dashed into an apartment building. The elevator was useless, and they raced up the stairs, to the fifteenth floor. Tiredness and fatigue pulled at them, and they both nearly passed out. Their lungs screamed for air and their legs cried for rest.   
  
I smile...  
  
Nazura pushed all of her muscles to their limit and sprinted down the hall and flung open the door to their apartment. Yami ran under her arm and towards Yugi, but Nazura was faster, despite her worn out start.   
  
Yugi didn't move.  
  
...to pretend everything is fine...  
  
"Yugi! Yugi talk to me!" Nazura cried.   
  
Yami whirled, hitting Mrs. Muto in the face, tears streaming from his dangerous, enraged red eyes.  
  
...to hide my pain from others...  
  
"If it was me, I'd have hit you ten times harder! I would have done that a long time ago!" Yami shouted. Mrs. Muto looked away.  
  
"I...I love him...he's my son...he's all I have...sometimes...I can't help myself..." she whispered.  
  
"Yugi! Are you all right?! Yugi!" Yami could barely hear Nazura now.   
  
His rage and fury was focused on the woman.   
  
"That's not love!!!! Yugi...won't hit you back because--!!!"  
  
Yami was cut off by two small arms wrapping around his chest. Nazura was helping Yugi sit up, and his arms were around Yami. His voice was so weak...  
  
"Yami...thank you...both...for rescuing me..."   
  
@@@  
  
Nazura came into the hospital room for the fourth time that day. Yami hadn't moved an inch. Verdy sat on his shoulder, motionless.   
  
"I thought you didn't like snakes."   
  
"Well...I'll make one exception."   
  
Nazura pulled up a chair and rested her head on Yami's shoulder. He smiled and put his hand on hers.   
  
"His mother got sent back to prison. I guess that means you can move back in with Yugi." Nazura said, looking at the sleeping boy.  
  
"Yes. I'm kinda looking forwards to being back home."   
  
There was a brief silence.   
  
"So...now what do we do?" Nazura asked.  
  
"I don't know...maybe we can...still be friends?"   
  
Nazura laughed a bit and stood up. She kissed Yami on the cheek and walked out of the room.   
  
When Yugi and Yami returned from their respective places, back to the game shop, they found a pendant sitting on Yugi's bed. With it sat a note.  
  
"Yugi and Yami, I'm sorry to have to say this...but I have to leave. I can't stay in Domino anymore. There are...complications with my life now. I'm leaving on a plane to America. I might not see any of you ever again. I leave the Nazure with you...they asked for it. You can summon them with the pendant. Good-bye. ~Nazura"  
  
The two smiled and glanced out the window, at the serpent-shaped clouds drifting by. Yami flicked on the radio and the two were soon immobilized with fear.   
  
"...jet leaving from Tokyo to America crashed about ten minutes ago. We already have audio clips of some of the passengers in their final moments..."  
  
The two waited...and they heard...  
  
"...*static* Gomenasai...Yugi-kun *static*...and Yami-kun...*static* Sayonara...*static*"   
  
The two felt tears sliding down their cheeks. Yami looked at the clouds and smiled weakly.   
  
"Sayonara...Nazura-chan..."  
  
@@@  
  
Anthy: Review!  
  
Anshi: Tell me what you think about my ideas! 


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